Tom, Suri Cruise visit Lake Placid

September 19, 2013

Terry Nichols and his wife own the Boots and Birdies miniature golf and bungee jumping center on Saranac Avenue. He said his business got a call around 1 p.m. Sunday from someone saying a special guest would like to visit with kids who wanted to bungee jump, and asking whether Boots and Birdies could be closed to other customers. The business complied, and promptly at 3 p.m., Cruise showed up with his daughter Suri, three of her friends, some of his friends and security guards - 10 people in all, Nichols said.

They said they had taken the gondola ride at Whiteface Mountain Ski Center in Wilmington earlier that day, Nichols said. He didn't know what else they did up here.

"They said they liked Lake Placid because of the quietness and lack of paparazzi, and they said they would return," he added.

Scotty Marshall, owner of the Boots and Birdies property, was there and said "the kids seemed to have a wonderful time" bungee jumping and that the actor was "friendly but quiet.

"He was videotaping his daughter while she was jumping," Marshall said. "And his daughter is so cute. She looks just like she does in the tabloids."

The group left at 3:30 p.m., saying they were flying out on a private plane, Nichols said.

That evening Boots and Birdies staff posted a photo of Cruise's visit on the business' Facebook page.

"It was a big deal for us yesterday," Nichols said Monday. "We've never had a celebrity come through, and to have him come through and partake in what we have to offer - it gets our name out there.

"I think they were really happy that we didn't blow it out of the water and say, 'We have somebody special coming in.'"

While in Lake Placid, Cruise did not call up "Top Gun" colleague James Tolkan, the local resident who, as Stinger, famously chewed out Cruise's Maverick in the 1986 hit movie.

"I doubt if he knows I'm here," Tolkan told the Enterprise Monday with a laugh.

Do they keep in touch?

"No, no, of course not," Tolkan said. "He's much too busy and successful to be in touch with me. He was great to work with ... but his life has changed greatly since then."